If it Happened | We Covered it

March 12, 2018March 12, 2018

There Might Be a “Cure” For Wearing Glasses – And it’s Not Surgery!

I recently purchased some new glasses. Did I need them? Yes, and no. I was due to get new glasses and my old ones were kind of getting scratched and not fitting the same way that they did when they were new. But I could have gone a little while longer with the old ones. That said, the prescription in one of my eyes changed, which has made a difference in seeing a bit more clearly. In general, though, wearing glasses is kind of a pain, isn’t it? I mean trying to keep them clean and protected is a full-time job. Contacts make my life easier – especially when working out, but they can dry out your eyes and make you tired. It’s a losing battle.

Or is it? Researchers from the Shaare Zedek Medical Center and Bar Ilan University just released a report explaining how a new type of eye drop infused with “nanoparticles” could replace the need for glasses or contacts. This sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it? Well, it’s extremely complicated and requires a doctor’s visit, but apparently, it works really well. Before I get into the process, I think we should explore what this means. You could use these eye drops, and in theory, not have to put my glasses on or even insert contacts at all – at least in a temporary way. Meaning, this kind of scientific discovery could be revolutionary. Well, if the price is right. If it’s going to cost me more than my glasses, I’m not likely to participate.

How does it work? To start, your eye doctor has to take a measurement of your eye refraction. This can actually be performed with a smartphone. Then the doctor creates a very specific laser pattern, which is applied to the eye for less than a second. The laser creates tiny grooves on the surface of your cornea. After that, the eye drops are applied. The big problem? You have to go to the doctor to have this done. In fact, this application only lasts two months, which means you would have to go back to have the laser pattern applied to your eyes. That’s kind of a lot of work, isn’t it? I mean, maybe it’s worth it in terms of not having to wear glasses, but I don’t want to have to sit in a doctor’s office 6 times a year just so I can see. Especially when contacts and glasses are available to me.

The procedure itself is less invasive than traditional eye surgery, in that it only affects the exterior of the eye and does not require an extensive procedure. However, because the alterations to the eye are so minor, the tiny etchings in the cornea eventually heal themselves and vision subsequently degrades.

Is this something that you would do? For me, personally, the answer is no. I simply don’t have the time to go to the doctor that often. I have dealt with medical issues in the past, for which I did go to the doctors that often, but it was necessary. To me, this is optional. That said – if you think that the convenience of not having to wear glasses outweighs the inconvenience of having to visit the doctor, then this might be of benefit to you. At this time, we don’t know how much it will cost or if its covered by insurance, so those are things to consider as well.